Chapter 4 – Late-night snacks

It was currently 10pm.
We had dinner at 7 and very soon would be the time to sleep.
But, I am a bit hungry.

(Kaya)「… I’m not in the mood for sweets. 」

Some sweets were stored in my room.
Crisps, chocolates, candies and so on… I was already eating them at work.
When I worked, I usually felt like eating sweets.
Oh, I think I was getting bored of them since I ate them at work.
However, it’s a luxury food.
And I got tired of sweets.

(Kaya)「…… But I can’t win against my desire. 」

I was unsteadily going to the kitchen of the inn.
This Inn was the building close to the representative’s residence. But for us it was akin to our own house.
There were still available rooms, but we already know the layout.

I was going to the kitchen but this place was mainly used by Yuki, Labiris, Aslin and Philia.
We could cook, but honestly, Aslin’s and Yuki’s meals are far more delicious.
In this world there is a saying. The right person in the right place.
This is why, there’s nothing you couldn’t make yourself.
And then, there was mostly miso soup and rice.
I wondered if there was suitable seaweed to make onigiri?

「Oh?」
「Uh?」
「Hue?」

In a corner of the kitchen, I came across Riel and Delille.
Somehow, I thought that they were both a bit hungry……

「…… 」
「…… 」
「…… 」

We stayed quiet for some reason.
Yeah, this was the kind of air around us.

(Lutz)「Oya, what are you three doing here?」
(Ellis)「Aren’t they the same as us?」
(Tori)「Ah, that smells good. 」

Lutz Ellis and Tori came from another entrance.

「… Right. This stomach of Mine is a bit empty. 」
「… me too」
「… I too. 」
「What are you checking?」

It couldn’t be helped, the air was like that.

「With all of us together. Should we make a little bit more?」
「Let’s see, everyone can make something. 」
「What was everyone planning to eat?」
「… I wanted to check the contents of fridge. 」
「Me as well. 」
(Tori)「Did you follow the nice smell?」

Only Tori appeared to be different.

「… What is smelling good? I don’t understand. 」
「I don’t understand either. 」
「Me too. 」
「Well, Tori is a person from the wolf tribe, so she should have a keen sense of smell?」
「Maybe someone is making something in the kitchen. Let’s check it out. 」

Then we entered the kitchen……

(Seraria)「Ara? Did someone call you out?」
(Herge)「Hello everyone. 」

Among the people in the room was Herge-sama and Seraria-sama.
They were accompanied of their respective escorts. Kur and Oriel.

「Called us? What do you mean? We are… 」

Lutz was answering the Seraria’s question and…

(Philia)「Oh, everyone is here!!」
(Aslin)「Nii-sama they are waiting!!」
(Labiris)「… He was preparing. So, we have all our members. 」

Three people got into the room from the strange door in the kitchen1)most likely this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noren.

Labiris disappeared behind the strange door.
After we entered, we saw something like the counter of a pub and many tables.
…… And also, a bestial fragrance.
But, that whetted my appetite?

(Yuki)「Oh, you came Seraria-sama… And everyone, have a seat. Did you all join the kitchen because you are hungry?」

Yuki easily found out our feelings.

「Oh, jackpot. So, what is this smell?」
(Yuki)「Well, sit at the counter. 」
(Philia)「It’s good!!」
(Aslin)「Nii-sama did his best again!!」
(Labiris)「…. You became stiff Yuki right?」

In a short amount of time, everyone sat at the counter.

(Yuki)「Well, I had a lot of faillures but is isn’t the same as before!! Today is ramen! A soup with stirred noodles!!」

Yuki said that and quickly did a succession of movement.

「Hoi, sorry for the wait. It’s tonkotsu ramen. 2)http://thesweetspot.com.my/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tonkotsu-ramen-all-condiments. jpgToppings are only onions and roast pork. 」
「Eh, what is ramen?」
「Eto, is that what you called a cup of ramen3)they are comparing ramen with the instant kind?」
「Oh, you make them with hot water?」
「Why did you need time to make it?」

As everyone said, they wanted to understand what exactly was the ramen Yuki talked about.
Even though they are simply delicious cup of noodles…

「Hey, silence!! A bowl is different from another cup!! The raw flavor should be savored!!」

Delicious.
However, the taste varied between different cups.
Was it because it was handmade?
But, my hands couldn’t stop.
I moved my chopsticks and ate.

Oh, less than half of us were using fork.
As everyone had seen Yuki with them and after we had thought it was convenient, we practiced and I could now use them.

(Yuki)「Well, don’t drink the soup. The real thing starts now. 」
「Eh?」

Everyone stopped drinking their soup when they heard Yuki.
Why? If noodles are gone, it’s over.

(Yuki)「Okay. Second serving, hard noodles!!」

Yuki threw boiled noodles into every of our bowls.

(Lutz)「This is… Second serving of ramen！?」

Lutz’s eyes became round as she showed her surprise.
Oh, is that so, could we eat again?

(Yuki)「Fufufu… how great is it?」

(Lutz)「As one would expect of onii-san. But it’s light!! Newly boiled noodles are moist!! So the taste would decrease if the soup becomes too thin!! The truth is, it’s really delicious!!」

Indeed, as Lutz said.
I feel it got a little thin.

(Yuki)「Just like Lutz said, it’s light!! That’s why, here is a special soy sauce for ramen. Try putting in according to your taste. 」

Yuki took out something that was evenly sorted on the shelf behind the counter.
This was ramen soy sauce?
I put in all my mind and tried to add some.

(Lutz)「Oh, the taste is getting stronger. 」

(Lutz)「Gulp, but it’s different than the ramen onii-san brought in the first service?」

(Yuki)「This is lighter. Listen. You can only say if you like a second serving after having a second serving. This is the real pleasure of ramen. At which degree the taste becomes light and what kind of adjustment you do to suit your taste!!」

(Lutz)「How!? The seasoning is still here!?」

(Yuki)「Oh well, the basics soup is already decided, so the taste won’t be a strong deviation from that. In front of your eyes, isn’t there sesame and pepper? That’s why, it’s a real pleasure to do the toppings by yourself. 」

Lutz and Yuki were talking but I didn’t care in the least.
Delicious.

「Second serving. 」
「Yes. 」
「Here, me too. 」
「Coming」

Such a feeling that was brought by a second serving of noodles……

「Stomach full…… 」

「It can’t be enough to fill my body….. 」

Like that, everyone fell on the counter.

(Lutz)「What about Millie? Do you know where she is, onii-san? I don’t think she would miss such a food event….. 」

By the way, Millie wasn’t here. I wondered why?

(Yuki)「Oh, be careful. It’s easy to hurt your stomach. Millie had overeaten, you don’t want to join her in the toilet. 」

Best ramen I ever had was a ticket machine place my wife and I stumbled across after getting lost wandering around Shinjuku. All other customers were salarymen, so I think it was getting close to all the government offices in Niishi-Shinjuku. Amazing stuff. The cooks were grinning just watching my reactions to it.

Finally cauth up. First thank you for your hard work all of you guys because of you guys I have something to look forward after work thanks again. Second those girls are going to get fat if they eat every other chapter, who would they blame I wonder? Third I started craving instant noodles after reading this, so I am going to get some right now. Keep up the good work.